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When you agree to be a speaker at a mid-February conference in Chicago, you can’t be surprised (and I wasn’t) when the weather forecast turns menacing. With a quick change of my return flight to beat the snowstorm—and with thanks to University Park airport’s new direct flights to Chicago—I was able to arrive on Tuesday afternoon, speak on Wednesday morning, and get back to State College by Wednesday night, a few hours before the snow started to fall.

The conference was the International Public Science Events meeting, the third annual gathering of public engagement professionals from all over the world. I spoke at the group’s inaugural meeting two years ago and it was exciting to see how much they’ve grown since then.

The keynote address was called “Science Events and the Evolving Culture of Science Engagement” and explored the ways in which the lines between science and popular culture are blurring, changing the practice of science outreach nationally and internationally. This really set a thought-provoking tone for the meeting! The speakers were Peter Linett, the “Chief Thought Officer” at an audience research consulting firm, and M.I.T.’s John Durant, founder of the Cambridge Science Festival. One comment I jotted down and will continue to think about: “Science events are part of a larger cultural change towards the informal, playful and subjective.” Linett, Durant and attendees had a good discussion of how these changes are reflected in public science events today and debated the wider implications of this changing landscape.

The hour-long session I co-presented with Theresa Yu Huan Liao, from the University of British Columbia was titled “Building on Success: Expanding Your Outreach Programming” and was both well-attended and well-received. It always pleases me most when there is a lively Q&A session and, in this case, there certainly was. People are eager for both practical tips and conceptual frameworks that will enhance the success of their research/science programming. It was exciting to continue chatting after my session ended with many attendees from all over the country and the world. I made many great new contacts and felt recharged about my work promoting Penn State research through creative and accessible public engagement events.

There was just enough time that afternoon to stretch my legs with a brief walk across the river to the famous neo-Gothic Tribune Tower, home of the Chicago Tribune and one of my longtime favorite buildings in Chicago or anywhere! (Sadly, I discovered they recently closed their Tribune gift shop in the lobby which always was a great source for journalism-geek type gifts. It still exists, but only online. Another sign of the times.)

Earlier this month, Penn State University lost a true legend. Daniel Walden, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of American Studies, English, and Comparative Literature, died Friday, November 8, 2013 at Mount Nittany Medical Center at age 91, after a brief illness. Arriving on campus in 1966 — the same year Joe Paterno became Penn State’s head football coach—Walden was a faculty member at Penn State until 1988. Whether he ever really retired is a matter of some debate though. Writer Cynthia Ozick paid tribute to Walden at the time in an article fittingly titled “Remarks on Dan Walden’s Retirement (Even Though He Is Tireless and Didn’t Retire and Never Will!)”

Walden remained a familiar and beloved presence on campus, as he continued to teach one course each semester, alternating between the departments of English and Comparative Literature. He was able to teach for two weeks this semester (a course on ethnicity and literature) before his ailing health prevented him from continuing.

When someone has lived a long and productive life, it is impossible to summarize them. The task takes many years and many people, many conversations and recollections, all adding up to a rich kaleidoscopic perspective. The abundance of articles on, interviews with and tributes to Dan Walden are a testament to the multifaceted life he lived.

Some pieces touch on his Philadelphia childhood and family; some on his Army experiences and his pre-academia career as a Broadway singer (including a 1949 role in the chorus of Annie Get Your Gun with Mary Martin) while others focus on his degrees from the City College of New York, Columbia University and New York University. Almost always mentioned prominently are his pioneering works such as On Being Black: African American Literature from Douglass to the Present (1970), with Charles Davis, and On Being Jewish: Jewish American Literature from Cahan to Bellow (1974.)

Earl Merritt (left), director of multicultural equity programs, College of the Liberal Arts, and the late Daniel Walden, professor emeritus of American Studies, English, and Comparative Literature.

No article on Walden’s career would be complete without noting that he founded the journal Studies in American Jewish Literaturein 1975 and served continuously as its editor from then into 2011. SAJL was published by Purdue University but as of 2012 will be published by Penn State University Press.

In 1984 Walden published “The World of Chaim Potok,” a whole issue of SAJL. The following year, he published Twentieth Century American Jewish Fiction Writers (Greenwood Press), DLB 28. Conversations with Chaim Potok came out in 2002 (University Press of Mississippi).

While these academic achievements are impressive, they don’t begin to capture the full impact of Dan Walden’s life on the people who knew him. The outpouring of online condolences are filled with remarks such as these:

“Professor Walden, your life was a model for what I hope mine to be: one of curiosity, generosity, and love. Thank you.”

“He achieved so incredibly much but managed to remain one of the most generous and sweet human beings I’ve ever met in my life.”

“He was a good and kind man, and his smile lit up the whole world.”

“He served as an inspiration to us on how to lead a good life.”

“What a life; what a legacy. Many of us who were graduate students in the Department of English in the 1980s considered the Walden residence to be our home. Some of us were international students, thousands of miles away from home and family, and had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving or the winter holidays. My friends and I knew that when money was short (which was most of the time) and we could not return to Europe or to India, we had a seat at the Waldens’ Thanksgiving table.”

Many of these comments pay tribute to Dan’s beloved wife Bea Walden, who passed away exactly two years ago today and who is remembered with great fondness by so many. The warmth and devotion of their marriage and generosity of their home comes through so many of the remembrances.

Professor Willa Silverman shared with me this poignant and telling recollection of Dan and Bea:

“Dan and Bea Walden were among the first people I met when I came to Penn State in 1988. I contacted Dan when I came to look for a place to live…He took me under his wing, driving me around wherever I needed to go, bringing me to his home for meals (which I remember as being lively, busy, warm, with people bustling in and out). He showed me extraordinary kindness as a new colleague and newcomer to Penn State. As many others know, Dan was an exemplary, generous, supportive colleague, who would always write a note of congratulations and encouragement on any ‘milestone’ (promotion, book published etc.). A pillar of our Jewish community, he always tried to attend milestone events of other members of our congregation. He was instrumental in the developing the Jewish Studies Program at Penn State, contributing his vision, time, energy, human qualities (his commitment to social justice and to the equal treatment of ethnic and religious minorities), and scholarly expertise. That the program is a thriving unit today is in good part a testament to Dan’s commitment to it.”

My own connection with Dan was as a friend of his family. I’ll always treasure the chats we had, and I can only imagine how much those closest to him will miss him. I hope they’ll take solace in knowing that, as associate professor of journalism Russell Frank recently wrote, a university is made truly great by luminaries such as Daniel Walden whose brilliance–not only as a scholar but as someone with true empathy and devotion to his fellow human beings— gives us all cause for “Penn State pride” in that slogan’s truest sense.

Texas is a blue and white place, from its famous bluebonnet meadows and its vast azure skies dotted with white clouds, to the blue and white on the Lone Star state’s flag. But for three days in late October, Texas was extra blue and white, when Research On The Road rolled into town with Penn State laureate for the 2013-14 academic year, Kenneth Womack, associate dean for Academic Affairs and professor of English and integrative arts at Penn State Altoona.

Penn State Laureate Ken Womack with books he has authored.

Research On The Road is a Penn State program that brings our faculty members to locations around the country with active Penn State alumni chapters for lively public talks on timely topics.

The topic this fall couldn’t have been more timely, a celebration of the Beatles on the 50th anniversary of the iconic band. Fortunately for us, Penn State’s laureate happens to be both an internationally recognized Beatles scholar as well as a native son of Texas. (Did you know that Texas is home to some of our largest and most active–and rapidly expanding–alumni chapters?)

Lake Lewisville, outside of Dallas, the location for our North Texas event.

Craig and Judy Micklow, North Texas chapter leadership.

Each of the three alumni chapters (all equally spirited and each locale turning out in large numbers for the events) would show us what makes them unique. The Penn State alumni in and around Dallas were organized go-getters and had the largest age range of the three chapters. Ask any member for the secret of their chapter’s success and they’ll tell you in two words: The Micklows. Craig and Judy Micklow have been running a tight ship for years as chapter president and treasurer, and do a phenomenal job. Our Research On The Road evening was a heartwarming mix of very young and very young-at-heart Penn Staters! The North Texas alumni also win the award for the most rousing Penn State team spirit, with a “We Are” chant led by Craig that shook the room! After folks mixed, mingled and enjoyed light refreshments, Ken took the stage for his entertaining and informative talk about the Beatles, little-known facts about their rise to fame and musical techniques, and the lasting impact of their legacy.

North Dallas alumni chapter members

Alumni and future alumni sample the appetizers.

The youngest Penn Stater in the room.

A Beatles cover band played after the talk and inspired many to get up and shake a tail feather or two. People lingered until the very last note…what a great night!

Houston is Ken Womack’s hometown and fittingly was our largest event, with about 150 people attending the evening talk. An article about our Research On The Road event in the Houston Chronicle (the largest newspaper in Texas and the sixth largest in the nation) didn’t hurt either.

The indoor/outdoor venue was perfect for our full house.

In addition to being our largest crowd, the Houston chapter distinguished itself by having perhaps the liveliest Question & Answer session of the three events. The other cities held their own, make no mistake, but Houston attendees included some really hardcore Beatles experts who tested—and fully appreciated—the depth of Ken’s scholarship on the topic.

It was a “standing room only” crowd, including some folks lined up outside the establishment to hear Ken’s talk.

Ken’s voice was put to the test; he talked for hours!

The leadership of PSUCenTex!

Last but by no means least on our Research On The Road trip: Austin! The PSU Central Texas chapter is in the very capable hands of president Sam Thomas, treasurer Steve Burke, and a whole team of active and energetic board members who helped make our Austin evening such a success.

The venue for our final Research On The Road event was Threadgill’s, an Austin institution steeped in music history. Janis Joplin got her start there, among others. The room was packed with over about 115 Central Texas area Penn State alumni and friends, all in the mood to listen, learn, celebrate Penn State scholarship—oh, and to dance too!

Even after hearing Ken’s talk on the Beatles several times, I still learned new things each time. What an inspired teacher he is! The Austin crowd was fascinated by his insights into such things as the band’s relationship with George Martin and their experiments with techniques like the “wind up piano” which relies on recording a song’s piano part at half-speed and then doubling it to normal speed to produce a harpsichord-like effect.

Our event in Austin was made even more special by the presence of Ken’s family and friends in the audience.

Penn State Laureate Ken Womack, native Texan, with his parents.

The Womack family enjoyed a front-row seat for Ken’s talk.

A personal highlight for me, throughout the week, was meeting Penn State alumni who rarely participated in their chapter’s events, but were inspired to connect with their alma mater because of Research On The Road! This is the kind of thing that makes the months of advance planning extra meaningful.

Mr. Wicker graduated from Penn State in 1969 and this was his first-ever event with the alumni chapter. Great to have you with us, sir!

It was sad to say “so long” to our Texan Penn Staters but it feels good to know that so many people were able to meet and learn from laureate Ken Womack and take pride in our University’s broad array of research strengths and deep commitment to teaching—including bringing life-long learning opportunities directly to our alumni chapters! Look for more adventures from Research On The Road this spring, y’all!

Sure, crime doesn’t pay. But when you have the chance to explore the Crime Museum after hours and to learn about DNA investigation from one of the top names in the business, it pays to attend. The folks from the spirited Metro Washington, DC Penn State Alumni Chapter knew it would be a crime to miss out and turned out in large numbers for the third “Research on the Road” event we’ve organized for and with them.

Chapter board members greet attendees in Crime Museum lobby.

More than 60 alumni chapter members of all ages and backgrounds joined in the evening’s activities, which kicked off with an interactive event at the National Museum of Crime & Punishment, aka The Crime Museum. Participants took a serial killer profiling quiz, explored the science of fingerprinting, got (temporary!) old school prison tattoos and found out what the images symbolized, and even swung a hammer into red paint to learn about blood spatter analysis techniques.

The “America’s Most Wanted” studio at the Crime Museum

Afterward, we moved the party next door to DC’s well-known Chophouse restaurant for a private reception and talk by Penn State’s own Jenifer Smith. Jeni, a retired FBI special agent and DNA analyst, is a Penn State alumna herself as well as a former member of the Blue Band. After retiring from the FBI, she joined Penn State’s Forensic Science faculty in 2010. Jeni’s professional expertise is matched only by her warmth and humor. She led us through a fascinating look at the field of forensic science, the myths and realities of life as a crime scene investigator, and some memorable cases she helped crack—as well some unsolved mysteries. We also learned about the growth of Penn State’s Forensic Science Program within the Eberly College of Science (check out the Probing Question on the program’s home page!) and had a lively Q&A session with Jeni, who graciously stayed chatting with us long after the event.

Jenifer Smith had the crowd intently listening, laughingand learning.

DC folks, you lived up to your reputation as one of the most vibrant groups of PSU alumni anywhere! Thanks for helping make the evening such a big success, packed with learning and fun.

Jeni stayed after the talk to make personal connections and answer questions. So appreciated!

Residents of The Village at Penn State enjoy a variety of activities—after all, variety is the spice of life. Sometimes that spice is literally the tongue-tingling kind, as it was during last week’s Research Unplugged event on site at The Village, with a talk by John Hayes and Nadia Byrnes titled “Some Like it Hot!” (Yes, we are indeed keeping John, assistant professor of food science, and Nadia, who works in his lab at the Sensory Evaluation Center, hopping this semester with a variety of public engagement talks for Research Communications. Our thanks to them both!)

An attendee raises her hand to ask a question of the researchers.

The speakers touched on many aspects of taste research, including how genetics and environment impact our preferences; how to define umami, which is one of our five basic tastes; and the biology of our taste buds, among many other topics.

Jellybeans are a convenient way to give an audience a sampling of different flavors.

A Village resident pinches her nose (as instructed by our speakers) while tasting a jellybean to experience the powerful interaction of taste and smell.

However, the focus of the talk was on doctoral candidate Nadia’s research on spicy food, particularly why some people gravitate toward “the burn” sensation of chili peppers and other hot spices, while others studiously avoid it.

The chef at The Village whipped up a batch of cocoa-dusted chocolate truffles for our event. The secret ingredient? A pinch of chili powder!

Sampling the spicy truffle. The verdict? Delicious…with a kick!

The audience, many of whom are alumni of Penn State graduate programs themselves, were delighted to help us commemorate 150 years of graduate education at the University. We are joining the Graduate School in celebrating this anniversary year by highlighting the work of grad student researchers during both of our Research Unplugged seasons.

Village Residents enjoyed the chance to chat with grad student Nadia Byrnes. Byrnes won 2nd place in the 2012 Graduate Exhibition’s Social and Behavioral Sciences Division, for her research project titled, “Determining the Relationship between Personality Variables and Liking of Spicy Foods.”

Nadia got laughs while explaining the theory linking “sensation seeking” personality types with a preference for spicy foods. “How many of you like to drive fast cars, gamble, or ride roller coasters?” she asked.

The event was a spicy and satisfying blend of information, myth-debunking, a lively question and answer session, and tasting jellybeans of many flavors!

A fruity jellybean stumped many tasters. “Is it apple? No, I think it’s peach!” Both wrong: it was pear-flavored.

We always have a marvelous time learning and laughing when we bring Research Unplugged to The Village and we look forward to joining them there in April with another event on site. The topic? Stay tuned. We’re cooking up some flavorful offerings for the spring Unplugged series!